For many years, IPTV users have been asking for one feature: that of recording their favourite content. And now you can, and very easily too.
The reason behind recording IPTV content will vary from person to person. The most important reason why one would prefer to record is the unavailability of a full-time high-speed internet connection.
Recording to an external storage device in such situations can be a lifesaver.
Let’s see how you can record your IPTV content so that you can save your favourite TV shows, live TV channels (sports, news, special events, etc) and movies to watch later.
We’re going to assume that you’ve got IPTV set up on your device and that you know how to obtain the M3U playlists from which you’ll be recording.
Record IPTV Content
Most IPTV player apps or IPTV boxes allow recording. If you use an app to stream IPTV channels that don’t record, you’ll need to switch to another app.
- The app called “IPTV,” developed by Alexander Sofronov, will allow you to record on any Android tablet, phone, or even smart TV.
- On Windows devices, nearly all popular cross-platform IPTV apps allow recording.
- On iPads, iPhones, and Apple TVs, the app called GSE SMART IPTV allows for recording.
- If you’re using IPTV via VLC on a Windows PC or Mac, you’ll need to use the built-in record feature. Go to the Tools menu and check the “Advanced Controls” option. A new set of controls will appear at the bottom. You’ll find the Record button here (a red circle), along with others, including the Snapshot button.
- Media players that you use with your television come with their own apps for streaming IPTV channels.
Sometimes, these dedicated apps will provide recording functionality.
For example, users of the Formuler boxes stream IPTV content using the preinstalled MyTV Online 2 app, which allows recording.
Popular media streaming devices like Fire TV stick devices, Nvidia Shield, Android TV boxes, etc come with built-in recording features.
If there’s no option to record in your media streamer’s default IPTV app, but it’s based on Android and has the Play Store or a similar service, then install a new app for IPTV streaming that allows recording.
If the dedicated IPTV app on your media streamer doesn’t support recording and neither does it have any way to install another app, then you’ll need to read the manual for recording content in general, connect a USB stick, and use the built-in recording feature while streaming IPTV content.
Things To Keep In Mind While Recording IPTV
You cannot record IPTV streaming all the time when watching an IPTV channel or VOD channel. The easiest method is to stream IPTV on a PC on VLC and use the player’s built-in recording feature.
For Androids and Android boxes, things can get trickier as the operating system gets harder.
There are many apps out there on the market for Android systems that allow recording, but they come with their own artefacts.
For example:
- An app called IPTV Extreme is fairly popular among Android IPTV users, and it allows you to record. However, you cannot record to external storage, such as an SD card.
- Many apps, such as BUZZTV, although they offer recording, can end up not recording a program fully, in which case you’ll end up with a partial recording, especially when recording directly to the internal storage.
And so on.
Always double-check the features and read reviews for any inconsistencies in recording to have the best experience.
The Legality Of IPTV Recording
IPTV content is not always legal to stream and record. Many IPTV service providers serve copyrighted content.
Even if you’ve purchased a subscription from such a service, you’re not safe.
Always make sure that you’re recording content that doesn’t violate the DMCA or other copyright laws in your region.
The bottom line is that even if your device or the app supports recording, you can run into trouble. The legality of watching IPTV and especially some content, is debatable in certain cases.
That’s why we always recommend streaming and recording through a VPN connection.
Using A VPN Is Critical
A VPN connection works as a shield that enables you to stream and record IPTV without letting others (like hackers or snoopers) know your real IP address.
Besides the obvious privacy safety that VPN connections provide, they can also help you bypass the throttling limits that your ISP sets on your internet connection.
This will help improve your streaming experience.
But why go for a VPN?
Privacy Protection
Internet usage via a VPN provider hides it from your ISP. Many snooping agencies or individuals can gain information from a non-VPN internet connection. VPN protects you against those.
You’ve got to use a VPN to block your real IP address from being visible.
Bypass Content Blocking
Often, you’ll find a streaming service that doesn’t operate in your region.
A VPN will allow you to geo-spoof your internet access.
So, if the provider gives its service to people from a different region, you can choose to mask your request as coming from that particular region’s IP address, which will unblock the content for you.
Circumvent ISP’s Throttling
The ISP sets throttling limits frequently. These are essentially maximum speed caps on streaming and are very common in the case of IPTV services.
ISPs claim to do it to dissipate traffic congestion and better manage the traffic on the network. But the bottom line is that speed throttling by ISPs is a very unfair act, which they can choose to leverage for bad ends.
VPN connections help you break free from these speed limits set by your ISP and allow you to browse with unlimited bandwidth and speed.
Improve Streaming Experience
When the server of the VPN connection is close to the location of the content you’re accessing and doesn’t have much traffic or congestion on it, you’ll enjoy a better streaming experience than a non-VPN or regular internet connection.
This happens all the time with VPN users.
Wrapping Up
Hopefully, we’ve managed to clarify how to record IPTV content for your device. We’ve also made a case for using VPNs, which is critical if you want to remain anonymous and gain certain other advantages not possible with typical internet connections.
Happy and safe IPTV recording!
